Exploring strategies in the digital age

: the case of BMW’s business ecosystem

Abstract

This teaching case study “Exploring strategies in the digital age: The case of BMW’s business ecosystem” written by Teresa Marie Nerlich aims to analyze BMW’s digital ecosystem using the framework of control points. Specifically highlighting the role of control points within the digital ecosystem, by examining how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can create and capture value as consumer expectations change with the emerging technological innovations in the automotive industry. In this context, it is important to explore not only how companies are able to set and hold control points, but also how to maintain a competitive position within the dynamic market. This will shed light on the problem statement: what are the major challenges OEMs, such as BMW, are facing in creating a sustainable digital business strategy? The research note lays the foundation for a general understanding of the impact of data in business, the power of value network exploitation, and the development of digital business strategies. This case study examines the challenges that BMW faces in the wake of changing consumer expectations that threaten established competitive positions, by conducting five expert interviews through the lens of the protagonist, the business strategist, Alex. The teaching note outlines how students can apply the learnings from the case study and implement the control points framework for firms to gain bargaining power within the digital business ecosystem. All these components will showcase that BMW must leverage strategic partnerships, i.e., software providers, IoTPPs, and continue to invest in building a reliable digital infrastructure.

Date of Award	10 May 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	René Bohnsack (Supervisor)